U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

DHS agents interrupt CBS News interview with ICE whistleblower

Incident Details

CBS News

A screengrab from a CBS News video shows two DHS agents interrupting an interview between CBS News correspondent Jamie Yuccas (left) and former ICE spokesman James Schwab (right).

— CBS News
June 27, 2018

Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s Office interrupted a CBS News interviewer with ICE whistleblower James Schwab, on June 27, 2018.

The June 27 interview was conducted at Schwab’s home near San Francisco. It was the first time that Schwab, the former spokesman for ICE, had spoken publicly since abruptly resigning from the agency in March. 

Schwab said in the interview that he was compelled to quit his job after ICE asked him to “lie” to journalists about Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf, who upset ICE after she warned her constituents about an ICE raid.

As CBS News reporter Jamie Yuccas was interviewing Schwab about the circumstances surrounding his resignation, agents from the DHS Inspector General’s Office unexpectedly arrived at his home and asked to speak with him. The agents refused to speak to Yuccas, other than to say that the reason for their visit was confidential.

“They just said that they want to talk with me about the leak with the Oakland mayor,” Schwab told CBS News after the agents left.

Schwab believes that the unannounced visit from DHS agents was meant to intimidate him.

“This is intimidation, and this is why people won’t come out and speak against the government,” he told CBS News.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogues press freedom violations in the United States. Email tips to [email protected].